March 28, 2024

Farnsworth Lectures on US Political Culture to Norwegian Delegation in DC

Stephen Farnsworth, professor of political science and director of the University’s Center for Leadership and Media Studies, recently delivered a lecture entitled, “The Competing Visions of the American  Political System: Building Public and Private Spheres,” at the Norwegian Washington Seminar in Washington, DC. The visiting delegation included leading government and business officials in Norway.

UMW Theatre Opens 2018-19 Season with The Amish Project

A generation ago, Broadway responded to rocketing ticket prices with a “rush line,” helping bring New York theatre back into the mainstream. This week, UMW Theatre joined the best in the business when it kicked off its 2018-19 season with a pay-what-you-can preview performance of The Amish Project by Jessica Dickey on Wednesday, Sept. 19. Patrons could quite literally pay whatever they could afford for the special production, which began at 7:30 p.m. in Klein Theatre, located inside the University of Mary Washington’s duPont Hall. Regularly priced tickets are $20; students, senior citizens, alumni and the military usually pay $16. “We want to be certain that our work is accessible to the widest audience possible and we hope this initiative removes any economic barrier to attending live theatre in Fredericksburg,” said Gregg Stull, professor and chair of the Department of Theatre & Dance and director of The Amish Project. “Professional theatres throughout the country have included pay-what-you-can performances in their seasons for more than 25 years. We want to share our work with as many people as we can and we hope this will open our doors to people who might not otherwise attend a performance in Klein Theatre.” To that end, each of UMW Theatre’s 2018-19 productions will include an opening, pay-what-you-can performance. Regular performances of The Amish Project will be held Sept. 20-22 and Sept. 26-29 at 7:30 p.m., and Sept. 23, 29 and 30 at 2 p.m. in Klein Theatre. AfterWords, a post-show talkback with the cast, will take place after the matinee performance on Sept. 23. The Amish Project, which features a cast of UMW theatre students from around the country, is a fictional depiction of factual events: a tragic shooting that took place in a one-room schoolhouse in an Old Order Amish community. In October of 2006, a gunman entered the West Nickel Mines schoolhouse in a village in Bart Township, Lancaster, Pennsylvania and opened fire before turning the gun on himself. Through the stories of these imagined characters, Jessica Dickey explores unconditional forgiveness and reconciliation within the Amish community in the wake of this tragedy. From cast member and stage manager to costume construction and lighting design, UMW students have taken front seat roles in the theatre production, directed by Stull. Scenic design is by assistant professor Michael Benson, and costume design is by associate professor Kevin McCluskey. Lighting and sound design are by guest designers Catherine Girardi and Jon K. Reynolds, respectively. The Amish Project was originally written and performed by Jessica Dickey as a one-woman, multiple character show, which premiered at the New York International Fringe Festival in 2008. After being workshopped, the play opened Off-Broadway in 2009, and has since been adapted for an ensemble. For more information, call the Klein Theatre Box Office at 540-654-1111 or visit www.FredTix.com.

Sign Up for September Safe Zone Advanced Training Workshop

The UMW Safe Zone program offers workshops that are designed to educate members of the University community about lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, and queer (LGBTQ+) issues to increase the safety and inclusion of all campus citizens. At the end of each workshop, participants will have the opportunity to become a Safe Zone ally for our campus.

Safe Zone allies are individuals who will:

  1. Be understanding, supportive, and trustworthy if LGBTQ+ individuals need help, advice or just someone to talk to.
  2. Not tolerate homophobic and heterosexist comments and actions and will address them in an educational and informative manner.
  3. Have received training and can provide information regarding on- or off-campus resources.

We offer two types of general Safe Zone workshops for faculty and staff. All faculty and staff are welcome and encouraged to attend these workshops, including adjunct faculty and part-time staff. The basic training focuses on terminology, issues related to privilege, increasing awareness and sensitivity, and how to support the LGBTQ+ population on campus. The advanced training is for faculty and staff who have already completed the basic training and covers more advanced topics, including bystander intervention.

For any interested faculty or staff, we are still offering advanced training on Tuesday, Sept. 25 from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Registration is required to attend, and space is limited. Please email Laura Wilson at lwilson5@umw.edu to register for a training or if you have questions. If you would like more information about Safe Zone, please visit the website at bit.ly/UMWsafezone

Banned Books Read Out Sept. 26-27

In honor of this year’s Banned Books Week (September 23-29), a Read Out will be held on Wednesday, Sept. 26, and Thursday, Sept. 27, on Campus Walk, in front of Lee Hall, from 11:45 a.m. to 1:15 p.m.  Faculty, administrators, and students will read from selected banned books.  The event, which is sponsored by the Department of English, Linguistics and Communication, Simpson Library, and the University Bookstore, is free and open to the public.  Rain location is the University Center.  A special exhibition of banned books will be on display in the lobby area of Simpson Library throughout the week.

Registrar’s Office to Present at 2018 MABUG Conference

The Registrar’s Office is set to be well represented at this year’s Mid-Atlantic Banner Users Group (MABUG) Conference, which takes place October 14-16 right here in Fredericksburg at the Fredericksburg Expo Center.  Brian Ogle, Associate Registrar for Student Systems, will present on UMW’s revamped academic standing policy as well as on our current commencement participation policies.  Evie Sherlock, Associate Registrar for Administration and Enrollment, and Kevin Caffrey, Senior Associate Registrar, will be presenting how UMW utilizes the waitlist feature in Banner 9, and Caffrey and University Registrar, Rita Dunston, will co-present a session on how the Registrar’s Office has successfully utilized social media to expand their role on campus and effectively disseminate information.  For more information on MABUG 2018 including registering for the conference, go to http://www.mabug.org.

Support for Medicaid Expansion Grows in Virginia

Several months after Virginia lawmakers decided to expand Medicaid, public support for the public health-care expansion has now reached its highest level, according to a new University of Mary Washington statewide survey. The survey, conducted September 4-9 for UMW by the national research firm SSRS, found that 76 percent of Virginians support Medicaid expansion and […]

Flu Vaccines Available on Campus

Flu season is coming and the Student Health Center is collaborating with Giant pharmacy to administer flu shots to UMW, faculty, staff and students. You’ll just need your health insurance card or a photo of it on your phone. Giant also accepts cash, checks and credit cards.

Flu shots will be offered in the lobby of the UC from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on the following days:

  • Oct. 9th
  • Oct. 24
  • Oct. 25

Be wise and immunize!

UMW Psychology Grad Levels Playing Field

Sarah Axelson ’08 searched months for the right college. Yet by the start of her senior year of high school in Long Beach, New York, she felt no closer to finding it. When a family friend recommended the University of Mary Washington, Axelson dug out her college guide book. Rigorous academics. A Division III softball […]

Kaine Leads in UMW Statewide Survey

Sen. Tim Kaine holds double-digit leads over Republican nominee Corey Stewart among both registered and likely voters, according to a new University of Mary Washington statewide survey. The survey, conducted September 4-9 for UMW by the national research firm SSRS, found that Kaine had a 51 percent to 33 percent margin among registered voters and […]

Julia DeLancey Publishes New Archival Research

This summer saw the publication of a new article by Professor of Art History Julia DeLancey.  The article, entitled “Celebrating citizenship: Titian’s portrait of the color seller Alvise Gradignan della Scala and social status in early modern Venice,” looks at the portrait of della Scala—now in the Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister in Dresden—by the sixteenth-century Venetian painter, Tiziano Vecellio, more commonly known as Titian. Using new archival discoveries made mainly in the Archivio di Stato in Venice, the article places Titian’s portrait of his colleague and supplier into the larger social and artistic context of Renaissance Venice and presents new information about color sellers and their place in Venetian social hierarchy.

DeLancey, Julia A.  “Celebrating citizenship: Titian’s portrait of the color seller Alvise Gradignan della Scala and social status in early modern Venice.”  Studi Veneziani n.s. 76 (2017):  15 – 60.